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Ray Way tarp kit two person
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Jul 12, 2006 at 6:20 am #1219003
I just finished making Ray and Jenny’s two person tarp. I had had the book for some time and had been wanting to make it for about a year. For a while, you could not order the kit separate from the book, but now you can. So I ordered the tarp kit and the net tent kit.
The directions in the book are very clear and easy to follow. I have a lot of sewing experience, but I think most beginning sewers could do fine with this kit. It took about ten hours. There are lots of good sewing tips in the book about sewing with silnylon. For example: use coated paper clips to hold the hem fold while you sew, instead of pins.
I have not sewed the net tent yet, and I will report on that when I finish it.
I erected it outside yesterday in order to seal the seams, and it is quite roomy underneath. I am going to test it in the backyard over the next couple of weeks, to try different ways of pitching it, etc. I learned a lot about different knots reading the book! I felt as if I was finally able to learn some useful boy scout stuff. In girl scouts, you mostly learn how to sell cookies.
Jul 19, 2006 at 4:23 am #1359463Yeah. That tarp is great. It’s lightweight. And once you’ve read the tarp book it’s easy to set up (knots, picking location, etc…). Ray has some visual instructions on his website (http://www.ray-way.com/tarp-nettent/pitch/index.shtml)
Surprisingly to me, sewing it yourself (perhap girl scouts have the advantage here?) really adds to the outdoor experience. That sounds strange, but I feel a more visceral connection with the tarp since I created it myself. I know how to fix it. I know what each part is used for, and why, etc…
Apr 26, 2007 at 10:01 am #1387386I purchased a "seconds" tarp kit a long while back, supposedly just cosmetic defects in the fabric. It was a bit cheaper than normal. Since then RayWay Products switched to a different silnylon, and I haven't seen seconds again.
Anyway, it was easy to sew and it works great. By chance we have only used it in very light rain so I cannot comment on use in a downpour. But I suspect the time will come soon.
I also sewed a bug-tent according to the Tarp book instructions, and am happy with it. If I expect no bugs I bring a Gossamer Gear Polycryo ground cloth.
I don't know why I'd take anything else except in winter.
Update Nov-2009: I now have lots of experience with the tarp in rain. It works great and has lots of room underneath for you and your gear. Still a perfect 5.
Oct 10, 2013 at 10:11 pm #2033002I found Ray Jardine's website link at the Pacific Crest Trail website. We bought the Ray Jardine two person kit with the long option in siliconized nylon. Our finished kit measures 106" wide by 119" long before adding the length of the beaks on the ends. But you can make the kit as wide as 118" since the included fabric is almost 60" wide. Kit instructions were easy to follow. Parts are not pre-cut. Thread is not included. If you don't buy Ray's thread (brand?), an acceptable sub for me was Gutermann upholstery thread from Joann Fabrics. The kit includes plenty of lines long enough for setting up the tarp with trees, sticks, rocks, trekking poles, etc. Instructions include how to waterproof the seams. The finished tarp weighs about 19 oz.
Coming from a tent culture, I had to get used to having ambient weather conditions dictate how I set up a shelter. The first time I set it up in high winds (backyard), it collapsed the three piece 48" carbon fiber pole I made from arrow shafts and aluminum rod connectors. The aluminum rod bent most likely because I had suspended the ridge line near the top of the pole–nonetheless, I substituted stainless steel for aluminum in version 2.0 of the pole. More importantly, I have since pitched the ridge line lower for wind. I also pitched the windward side of the tarp low for wind and higher for calm. I had no condensation at all once I pitched the tarp correctly. Being at one with nature includes mindfulness about how weather affects set up.
Set up is easy, but not explained in the kit instructions. The first sentence of the instructions suggest that the user read either of Ray's two books to get the 411. Most people would consider that self serving and unhelpful–YMMV. For what I have gained from reading Ray's webpages which emboldened me to move to lighter gear, I willingly bought Ray's books & have found more than just set up instructions. Those who want to keep those bucks in their wallets can google "Ray way tarp set up" and find a youTube video.
Ray's tarp was spacious, and coverage for two is very generous. Protection from rain exceeded expectations. We used ours with a net tent, so we could camp in comfort during bug season. The corner loops for suspending the net tent could have been positioned more favorably for when you have to pitch one side low to the ground–still not a deal breaker overall.
A fine product.
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